Pink Summons Cases in New York City

The New York City Police Department issues hundreds of thousands of small pink summonses each year. A wide range of offenses can be charged by way of these pink summonses. Most common among them perhaps are drinking in public, public urination, unlawful possession of marijuana, and trespass in a park after dark.

This website is a resource of information for those who have received Pink Summonses in New York City but who are finding information about pink summonses difficult to come by. Start by watching the video presentation below about pink summons matters in New York City. This video introduction to the world of pink summonses and the options available was prepared by Don Murray, founding partner in the New York City criminal defense law firm, Shalley and Murray.

Court Locations

The Court Locations section of this site provides direction and location information for the pink summons courts in New York City, including hours of operation, and suggestions on timing your trip to Court.

Common Summons Offenses

This section of the site lists many of the most typical charges found in pink summonses, as well as discuss of their seriousness. You will be able to see the exact language of the offenses so that you know precisely what the charge means and understand more precisely what the accusation is. The number of possible accusations is enormous, but most pink summonses will probably charge one of these offenses.

Is it Serious?

Some summons cases, for example, actually charge crimes, that could give the recipient a criminal record forever. Non citizens also need to be careful when accused of any offense, making legal representation prudent. People who hold professional licenses or are otherwise subject to periodic background checks may also discover that a summons is worth taking seriously. Finally, for those who are unable to appear on the date required, it is possible, under some circumstances to arrange for a lawyer to appear on the pink summons in your place.

Corporate Summonses

Occasionally, Corporations that do business in or through New York City will receive pink summons written in the name of the business. When this occurs, the corporation must appear, by law, through an attorney. The Court will not permit an individual, even if that individual is the president and CEO of the corporation, to appear. Usually, these corporate summonses are issued in the context of the multitude of trucking regulations of local, state, and even Federal law. The article in this section discusses corporate pink summonses.

Frequently Asked Questions

Little information is easily available for those with questions about pink summonses. Therefore, people are often left to rely for answers to questions from the police officer who gave them the ticket or from others who may have had summonses in the past. These are unreliable sources of information. As well meaning as the police officers may be, it has been our experience that they routinely provide misinformation to those they are giving summonses. For example, the police will often tell out of towners who are leaving well before the appearance date that they should "go to court the next day to advance the case". This is nonsense. It is impossible. It won't work. For reliable information regarding such common issues, review our list of frequently asked questions and reliable answers.

About Shalley and Murray

Shalley and Murray is the New York City criminal defense law firm that provides the information for and maintains this site. To find out more about Shalley and Murray, or to learn how to contact a New York City criminal defense lawyer from Shalley and Murray, review the Shalley and Murray profile page. To learn about the broader criminal justice system in New York City in greater detail visit the New York City Criminal Defense Information site www.queensdefense.com .

Typical New York City Pink Summons. Items have been blacked out to protect client privacy. The summons number will usually begin with "4" and is located usually at the left hand side where the bar code is located. The date of appearance and court is noted at the bottom.

We are not the court. We provide this site for free for people who need information about pink summonses. If you would like to contact us about helping you with a pink summons, call us or text us at 718-268-2171.

Related New York Criminal Court Links

The following are links to related sites with more information about pink summons cases or information about other aspects of the New York Criminal Justice System, including a link to webcrims, a way to check online where and when your case (including pink summons matter) is pending: